Familiarity
by fakeditfromthewordgo
Summary: '"Clary, this is Tessa Gray. My great great great grandmother."' Clary meets the relatives. Sequel to Of Matrimony and Surnames (though that doesn't need to be read to understand).


When Jace let himself into the small flat he owned with his wife, Clary was waiting for him, hands on her hips. "Are you cheating on me?"

He blinked. "Excuse me?" Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, he paused in the act of removing his scarf.

"You heard me," Clary said, glare not lessening even slightly at his obvious surprise.

Slowly, he kicked off his boots, and hung up his winter clothing, not taking his eyes off her in the process, before moving towards slightly. "Do you feel like explaining at any point?"

Her face tightened, clearly unimpressed, but she nodded stiffly, gesturing for them both to sit down. "You've been spending a lot of time as Magnus' recently." She stopped, waiting for him to cut in, but he'd learned that it was best not to interrupt her when her temper had been provoked. "Alec told me you've been going into a room with a woman, a friend of his, for hours. _Hours_, Jace!" She looked so incredibly outraged that all Jace could do was laugh, reaching over to grab her hand.

She wrenched it out, and he just laughed harder. "By the angel, I thought it was something serious."

Her jaw dropped. "This isn't funny, you-"

"Now, now," he said, sobering up slightly, but still unable to mask his massive grin. "There's no need for profanity."

"Jace Herondale, I swear to-"

"_Clary_," he started laughing again, but forced himself to calm down at the look on her face; she'd gone from angry to plain betrayal, and warranted or not, it hurt his heart a little. "I was waiting for the right time, but I suppose this is as good as any. Do you want to come with me?"

Her jaw dropped open. "No, I do _not_ want to _watch_ you cheat on me! How could you-" Jace, losing control entirely, doubled over with laughter, cutting her off effectively, until she slapped him.

Before she could pull it back, he took her hand again, yanking until she was almost sitting in his lap, with her resistance the only barrier between them. No matter how hard she kicked out at him, and how much she swore, he didn't stop smiling. "All will be explained." He pecked her lips lightly, before standing, and moving towards the kitchen. Almost as an afterthought, he turned back to wear she was sitting, frowning deeply. "And I'm not cheating on you, you idiot."

* * *

Even when he buzzed the door for Magnus to let them in, Clary still wasn't happy, and it was taking every ounce of self-control he had not to continue laughing in her face.

"Are you sure?" Magnus asked him, with wide eyes, once he'd opened the door and taken in in the very angry redhead beside him.

Jace rolled his eyes, sensing that the warlock's surprise wasn't helping at all, and pushed him aside. "Apparently."

Clary looked at Magnus searchingly, but he just shook his head, gesturing for her to follow her husband.

"She's in the bedroom," Alec called, knowing without looking up that it was his parabatai. Clary's mouth dropped for a moment, but when Jace glanced at her, she just glared at him defiantly. Rolling his eyes, he made his way around the huge collection of footstools that Magnus had seemed to acquired, only one of which was occupied by Church.

When he pulled the door open, Clary's heart sank. The girl was not stunning, like Isabelle, but she was slender, and beautiful in a quiet, understated way. A silver necklace in the shape of an angel, made of what appeared to be clockwork, hung around her pale neck, and a soft white dress accentuated her curves, which were, of course, in all the right places. Her dark hair hung in perfect waves to brush her shoulders, and if it weren't the fact that she seemed incredibly familiar, she would've hated the woman on sight.

Seeing Jace, she stood, a brilliant smile lighting up her face, but she stopped when Clary moved beside him. He looked at her, and his smile was now almost nervous. "Clary, this is Tessa Gray. My great great great grandmother."

Clary's eyes widened, and immediately, her jealousy faded. Surreptitiously, she reached for his hand, needing his strength and he entwined their fingers, knowing this was a lot to take in, letting her know he was there. She opened her mouth, but, for once, the words wouldn't form, and Tessa took the initiative with a smile.

"Hi," she said, her voice quiet. "It's so nice to meet you." She glanced at Jace with a smile. "I've heard a lot about you." She realised then that it was the woman Magnus had been talking to, at the party after Valentine had been defeated.

Jace shook his head, flushing slightly. "_Tess_." Clary almost giggled at the embarrassed tone in his voice; she'd never had the chance to see Jace around a parental figure, and the result was so out of character for him, it was hilarious.

"I haven't," she said, throwing Jace an accusatory glance before focusing back on Tessa. "Heard much about you, I mean. I thought Jace was cheating on me, actually." The woman laughed, and Clary knew she liked her immediately.

"It doesn't get any better," she said confidentially, smiling fondly at something she was recalling. "He's just like my first husband."

The phrase struck Clary as odd for some reason, but she couldn't put a finger on it as to why. She laughed out loud, especially at Jace's scandalised expression. "Awful, isn't it?"

"And the ducks thing," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"Oh my _God_, yes, and-"

Jace stepped between them, pretending to act as peacekeeper. "Ladies, please."

Both of them grinned at him, beginning to recognise the potential here. The idea of talking about her husband to someone who understood amazed Clary: though Isabelle had become like a sister to her, she would never understand the concept of marrying, especially when it was to her adoptive brother, happy as she was for them. She would rather die than get married (that she _supposed_ that that didn't count when it was Simon, she would always add, under duress).

"We've been talking about his family," Tessa said when they'd all settled in the armchairs that were at the foot of the bed (something Clary was very grateful for).

Jace turned to her, his excitement reminding her of a little kid, and Clary felt a pang of sadness for the childhood he never got to have. "Apparently I'm just like my great great great grandfather."

"It's very frustrating," Tessa added, dodging the elbow that came after. "I thought I'd be doing you a favour, giving you a little peace." She hesitated, looking at Clary intently when she continued. "I never meant to cause anything between the two of you. I'm very sorry if I've become a problem." She had an odd way of phrasing things, and Clary realised that it was because, of course, that she was immortal too.

"No, it's fine," Clary hastened to reassure her. "If _someone_ had explained, nothing would've happened in the first place."

Jace sighed dramatically and both of them lashed out at him at the same time, then looked up at each other, surprised. "If I'd known you'd both be like this, I'd have _let _you divorce me." Clary raised her eyebrows, and Tessa shook her head disapprovingly. "Exactly!"

"Just like my first husband," Tessa muttered, and it hit Clary what was odd about the phrase.

"Your first husband," she repeated. "You've been married more than once?"

Tessa nodded, but before she could elaborate, Jace stood up. "Shall I give you two some time alone?" His voice dripped with sarcasm, but the girls all but pushed him to the door, laughing.

He stepped outside, looking somewhat like he'd been hit over the head with a large object, and Alec raised his eyebrows. "That bad?"

"_Girls._"

"Not really my area of expertise."


End file.
